The Fellowship of the Ring London Premiere

Tuesday December 11 1:30 PM ET
''Lord of the Rings'' premieres in London
By Paul Majendie

LONDON (Reuters) ``The Lord of the Rings''
film epic was launched at a glitzy world premiere Monday with
critics already hailing the mammoth fantasy as a masterpiece.

The J.R.R. Tolkien trilogy that attracted
at least 100 million readers over the last half century has been
turned into three movies costing $270 million. It took New Zealand
director Peter Jackson 18 grueling months to film with a cast
of 2,400.

``The Fellowship of the Ring'' is the first
of the three films planned for release, and show business hype
reigned supreme at the London premiere.

The film looks set to propel its diminutive
hero, American actor Elijah Wood, to international stardom. Hollywood
veterans such as Liv Tyler and British horror star Christopher
Lee were on hand to watch Wood's turn as Tolkien's Frodo Baggins.

More than 2,000 fans braved the chilly night
in London's cinema-lined Leicester Square to greet the film's
stars as they entered under a row of burning rings.

``We had a lot of fun and we had a lot of
work,'' Tyler, who plays elf-maiden Arwen Undomiel in the film,
told Reuters. ``When I read the book and the script I really longed
to be part of this movie.''

The film, a dark tale of the fight between
good and evil played out by hobbits, elves, wizards and orcs,
could go head to head with another magical tale -- ``Harry Potter
and the Philosopher's Stone'' -- when it is released on Dec. 19.

A 1978 animated version directed by Ralph
Bakshi failed to capture the imagination of the film-going public
or the admiration of the legions of Tolkien fans around the world.

The first feedback from critics of this
latest version of ``The Lord of the Rings'' was euphoric.

``The movie works. It has real passion,''
Newsweek declared. The film critic for Entertainment Weekly said,
``I really got a sense of awe and grandeur.'' Variety said, ``The
effects are blended in extremely well with the fabric of the movie.''

Jackson said he did feel nervous about how
the public would receive the film but was heartened by the early
reviews.

``I'll be relieved to have people finally
see the film because it has been the buzz on the Internet, there
have been spies (on set), it has been gossip and rumor for three
years now,'' he told Reuters.

``Three years is too long. People have just
got to see it. It is just a movie and it needs to have an identity
as a film now and not as this Internet buzz. I'll be relieved
when it is out there.''

Christopher Lee, who plays the fallen wizard
Saruman, said he was seeing the film for the first time at the
premiere, but was confident it was going to be fantastic.

The 79-year-old veteran called Jackson one
of the greatest film directors of the age. ``Someone asked me
what my greatest ambition in life is and I replied that it was
to live to see the third film,'' Lee said.
Wood said the film was breathtaking and he hoped it would inspire
a whole new generation to read the books.

``I love it, I think it is wonderful. Everyone
involved has done such beautiful work.''

Co-star Sean Bean said his role as the orc-slaying
warrior Boromir ``was physically demanding.''

``I think it was hard work but I think we
were all so excited to be part of it that the adrenaline carried
us through.''

Sir Ian McKellan, who plays Gandalf the
wizard, said making the movie was ``everything I dreamed it might
be.''

``Any worries that I had that the story
may be too complicated, that the special effects wouldn't be quite
as magical as required absolutely vanished.''